Page 57 of The Fake Out Flex

Hannah: "There's Bear's diner. AKA safety from any possible apocalypses."

"Also the place with more coffee," I point out.

"And pancakes," Amiel adds, solidifying her place in our group with those two small words.

So that's where we head, but not before Mike the mechanic, two giggling teenagers dressed in school uniforms, and Mrs. Dunn all stare at us as we pass.

Well, not at us.

At me.

They're all focused on me, which is unnerving because if all five of us are non-zombies, why am I the only one being singled out?

The bell above the door jangles as we scurry into the diner.

The place goes deadly quiet, everyone stopping whatever they were doing and turning to us.

"I'm starting to think this whole zombie thing might not be so far-fetched," I whisper to my friends.

"Is something going on?" Summer asks, glaring at everyone like the high-powered lawyer boss she is. "Well?"

People slowly go back to whatever they were doing before we disrupted their morning coffee and breakfast.

Bear walks over to us. "Two things," he says in his customary curt way of speaking. "One, Summer, I'm sorry but you can't bring a dog in here."

"Oh. Of course. Sorry. I wasn't thinking. We were escaping a zombie apocalypse and seeking shelter."

Bear tilts his head. "Huh?"

"Don't worry. I'll take him outside."

"What's the second thing?" I ask.

Without saying a word, he sticks his phone out for all of us to see.

I gasp and snatch the phone from Bear, panic coiling in my belly as I take a closer look.

Images of me and Fraser dancing in the ocean yesterday are splashed across a sports news website under the headline RADEMACHER'S NEW LOVE INTEREST?

I turn to my friends. "This is a nightmare."

"This is amazing!" Margo announces, walking up behind me.

Shoot. I thought I'd managed to sneak into the office without her spotting me.

I wheel my chair back and pivot to face her.

She's glowing.

"I have a feeling I know what you're talking about, and I'm going to have to strongly disagree with you."

"Walk and talk time, hon. Let's go!"

I push to my feet reluctantly.

She takes out her phone. "You're trending."

I wince. "The last time I heard those words, I went into hiding for a month."